Dance With Me, Carter
by Kibeth5
Summary: A lighthearted but passionate Sam & Jack fic, set between seasons 8 and 9. Brigadier General Jack O'Neill has been promoted to Head of Homeworld Security. Surely it constitutes a great SGC leaving do? Or should it be called a show...?


Dance with me, Carter

**Author's Note**: Well, goodness knows where this came from! It's a bit on the silly side, especially towards the end—just a nice bit of romantic fluff—but for all those of you who want to see a big honkin' Sam/Jack kiss, this is today's read. ;)

* * *

She was just applying her mascara when the doorbell rang, twice. That would be Daniel, she thought with a smile, and twisted the cap back onto the bottle.

"Just a minute," she called.

Grabbing her bag, she glanced at herself once more in the mirror, and deciding she was totally satisfied with her appearance she turned off the light and stepped carefully down the stairs.

She swung open her front door to find Daniel waiting patiently on the porch step.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile.

"Sam, hi – sorry we're la… woah." His eyes widened slightly. "Wow, Sam… you look brilliant." He gestured to her dress with his hand. "Really! I mean… wow."

She grinned. "You don't look too bad yourself," she commented, looking at his traditional black suit and bowtie.

"Thanks. You ready to go?"

"Sure am."

Closing the front door, she followed Daniel to the car and waved at Teal'c as soon as he came into view.

"Seriously, Sam, Jack won't be able to keep his eyes off you, you know."

"Daniel—"

"You do indeed look lovely tonight, Samantha," said Teal'c as she got into the car, to which Sam couldn't suppress another slightly embarrassed smile.

"Thank you, Teal'c." She suddenly turned to Daniel beside her with a stern finger pointed in his direction. "But what I was going to say was that Sam Carter looking decent has nothing to do with this being General O'Neill's leaving party. All right?"

"Really?" smirked Daniel as he turned on the engine and started to drive down the road. "I would never have known that."

"Daniel, what is with you and Teal'c at the moment?" asked Sam curiously. "You both seem very…"

"Curious?"

"Yeah."

"Well, let's just say that Teal'c and I have decided to give you and Jack a little encouragement," said Daniel, eyebrows raised.

Sam looked away, uncomfortable. "Just because he's leaving the SGC doesn't mean he won't be in the Air Force. We're in the same situation as we've always been… Not that it has anything to do with you anyway," she added firmly. "Actually, what even gives you the impression we want to be together?"

Daniel just glanced at Teal'c, exasperated. "Please…" he muttered under his breath.

* * *

As Sam entered the huge room with Daniel and Teal'c the effort that had gone into decoration astounded her. Everywhere she looked, there were great banners and ribbons curling into swirling tassels, dabbing like glinting ringlets at the shiny, polished floor, and there were golden balloons tied up in bunches on all four of the corresponding walls. There was a stage at one end, lined with red patterned curtains, and a large, mahogany bar at the other. The massive hall was filled with people from the SGC.

"Pretty impressive," remarked Daniel, looking around. "It's good to know Jack didn't scare off _too_ many people."

Sam smiled sideways at her friend. "How do you know he didn't scare them into coming?"

"True," agreed Daniel, grinning.

They walked through the clusters of smartly-dressed personnel and over to the bar. Daniel escaped to fetch them drinks, leaving Sam and Teal'c stood in the midst of bright dresses and black suits.

"Does O'Neill know all of these people personally, Colonel Carter?"

"Probably not," Sam answered, pulling Teal'c to the edge of the room as not to get in the way. "At official parties like these, Teal'c, you usually find representatives of different comities. Everyone here is aware of the SGC, but some of them probably haven't even met General O'Neill before. That's why he's having a barbeque next week, just for the people he knows."

"I see," said Teal'c, clearly disapproving. "On Chulak we do not have such customs. If one Jaffa is invited to another's living space, they must know him well."

"To be honest, I think we'd all prefer that," admitted Sam, "especially General O'Neill."

"And what would it be that I would prefer?"

Sam spun around quickly, and smiled as her eyes met with the dark, dark brown of Jack O'Neill's.

"Sir!" she greeted. "Thought you'd pop up sooner or later."

And wow, did he look smart—very rarely had she seen him in anything formal besides his Air Force uniform, but the wait had been well worth it, she decided. His black suit added to his handsome and charming appearance. Reminding herself where she was, she bit her lip to stop herself right there.

"Carter," he returned in greeting.

Sam's guilt somewhat dissipated, as she glanced at his face and found that his eyes were sweeping down her figure, taking in the tight black dress floating down her bare, tanned legs and clinging to her waist and hips. Blinking, his gaze snapped up to meet with hers again and he sent her a secretive smile of approval, which she returned only too happily.

"O'Neill," said Teal'c, interrupting their private moment.

They both wrenched their eyes away from the other and Sam stepped back to allow Teal'c into the conversation. "Uh, Teal was just wondering why people you don't know have been invited, sir."

With a grin Jack moved forward to shake the Jaffa's hand. "It's good to see you back from Chulak, T," he said warmly. "And in answer to your wondering, they're all important gits who want to know me because apparently I'm important. And I can tell you that it's slightly disconcerting when you get these guys nodding to ya and you've never seen them before in your life."

"Are you not enjoying yourself, sir?" asked Sam lightly.

"Oh it's not that," said Jack. "I love these guys. I'd just prefer a smaller do with only SG-1, General Hammond and a few others present… maybe the cool guys like Siler and SG-3. And Bra'tac, of course," he added to Teal'c, who smiled at the mention of his old friend.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," she smiled.

"Yes, you do. You know, I'm convinced that guy over there's an alien." He pointed to a tall man with very round, blubbery facial features. "Hey, where's Daniel, anyway?"

"I believe he went to find us liquid nourishment," replied Teal'c, and glanced to the bar. "I will locate him."

Teal'c moved away leaving Sam and Jack staring after him, surprised.

"Well, that was a quick departure," remarked Jack dryly. "Liquid _nourishment_?"

"I think that's what he said," Sam shrugged.

"And how long has Teal'c lived in America?"

She smiled in amusement, and said, "It really is good to see you, sir."

"Yes, you too," he grinned. "Miss me?"

"Of course we did. And we will even more now that you're leaving."

"Yes, well… all good things come to an end," he said lightly, although Sam was sure she detected a hint of sadness in his voice. "Hey. It's not so bad. I can come visit from time to time."

Sam nodded. "I'd like that," she said, purposely dropping the 'we'. He obviously noticed this because his lips twitched as if he was about to say something more, then he stopped as he opened his mouth and blinked.

"So how are you, anyway?" he asked kindly after a moment. "I'm sorry I didn't call, there's been so much crappy paperwork due to my departure I'm afraid I haven't been able to find my phone…"

"I'm good, sir, thanks," she answered, smiling. "It was nice to get away for a while."

"I'm glad. You really needed a break, y'know. I bet eight years without food or sleep is a record."

She laughed at his teasing. "Not quite," she said. "Nearly, though."

"You look great, by the way…" He paused. "Actually, you look more than great."

Sam looked down and felt herself blushing, just a little. "Better than the standard BDUs?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Oh, definitely, Colonel," he said in mischievous tones. "Although, if you're anything like me, you prefer the nice, scruffy BDUs." He squirmed uncomfortably and tugged at his tight shirt collar. "Mark my words, as soon as I've had enough alcohol I'll be undoing these top buttons."

* * *

And yep, the top buttons were undone, even though Sam could have sworn he hadn't had more than two drinks. She'd been sat next to him the entire evening before everyone had gotten up to dance, and both of them had been so busy talking and laughing that they'd taken twice as long to eat their meals as Daniel and Teal'c had. She hadn't had a lot to drink either.

Presently she stood by the bar, quietly observing. There were a lot of groups of men stood by with their drinks in hand, but the vast majority were dancing to the band with their partners or civilian colleagues. Even Teal'c was dancing! And with one of her lab assistants! She smiled, amused at the sight of the big jaffa paired up with the tiny, blonde, bespectacled woman.

"Carter!" greeted a familiar voice for the third time this evening. She turned her head and soon found Jack stood beside her. He smiled warmly, before fixing his eyes on the room full of people. "Enjoying yourself, ma'am?" he asked with the same teasing drawl to his voice she loved so much to hear.

"Yes, sir," she smiled, "very much so." She narrowed her eyes at him perceptively. "You?"

"Of course," he replied, waving his glass of wine. "Most of these guys have run out of things to run me down with by now."

"That, or you're just avoiding them?"

"Ah! You know me too well, Carter."

"I know how they feel," she muttered.

"Hmm?"

"All the times I needed you for something and I could never find you," she accused him jokingly. "Don't tell me that was coincidence! I used to send you hundreds of memos a week."

"When I was Colonel or General?" There was a pause, and he pretended to be taken aback by her pointed frown. "Both?"

She smiled sideways at him. "Both," she emphasised, and he winced.

"Ah, well, you know how things are with me. Back in my Colonel days, I didn't know the way to my office. And as I was only a General for a year… well, as you know, Carter, you can't make assessments without evidence."

"I guess not," she admitted.

Jack waved his glass again in Teal'c direction and smirked. "Teal'c seems to have found a very fitting lady friend, don't ya think?"

Sam smiled. "I never knew Teal'c was such a skilled dancer."

"You know what they say about dancers." He sipped his wine. "You're only good because your partner's good."

"They make an unusual couple," she remarked, watching the pair.

"Well, you know what else they say?" said Jack and she looked at him expectantly.

"What?"

"Opposite's attract."

His tone was conversational, not purposeful, but Sam watched her own expression reflected in his face as it morphed into the realisation of what he'd implied. Or stated. After all, it was the truth. About them. They were so different with such different interests that she often wondered why her feelings for the General were so strong.

Brusquely, he looked away and brought the glass to his lips silently, and then there was an uncomfortable silence in which Sam tried desperately to think of something to say. Anything to melt away the sudden awkwardness.

When they spoke, it was together.

"Do you dance?"

"Can you dance?"

She couldn't remember who'd said which, but they'd both spoken hurriedly—tensely. However, at their simultaneous outbursts they both smiled at one another, which seemed to break the sudden thick atmosphere.

Jack shook his head and grinned a little unsurely. "Now, I would say 'great minds think alike', but as you're Carter… not the best expression to use," he said, pointing at her with his finger.

"So… can you dance?" she smiled. "Or 'do you?'… whichever."

"Ah…" He pretended to think about it for a moment. "Let's see. No and… no. The latter probably due to the first."

"I'm sure you can, sir," she chided kindly.

"No. No. Trust me—I can't."

"Sir—"

He laughed. "I can't dance, Carter, end of story."

"I don't believe you!"

"I'm ordering you to believe me. Honestly, the General dancing is bad."

"I think maybe you're bashful," she said teasingly.

"No, take it from me. I. Cannot. Dance. I mean, why are we arguing about me dancing anyway?"

"How do I know you're not lying about your talents, sir?"

"You don't, but I know and I'm telling you so. Now believe me!"

She grinned innocently. "Ah, but you can't make assessments without evidence."

"I—" Shaking his head at her, he grinned back. "All right. Fine." He placed his glass of wine on the bar counter with a clunk.

"Sir?" She tilted her head to the side questioningly.

"I'll show you," he said pointedly. "Carter, would you like to dance?"

Sam's eyes widened slightly. Okay, maybe it was her fault, but she really hadn't been expecting that from him tonight. For a moment she just stared at him with her eyebrows raised before she felt the little voice in her head kicking her to comply. So she smiled, genuinely.

"All right then, sir."

He held a hand out to her and she took it gently. As their palms made contact Sam immediately felt small butterflies swoop through her veins in both a pleasant and nervous feeling of excitement. Instinctively, her eyes met and held his, and there was a strange expression on his face that told her he'd felt it too. There was no teasing or jest etched into his sharp facial features now, just emotion—emotion that seemed so impassive yet at the same time so strong and contained.

And her hand was warmed in his grasp. Her fingers fit between his so comfortably.

A moment passed and then he smiled at her again, and the next minute they were weaving in and out of black suits and dresses and towards the crowded dance floor. The band was playing a slow, melodic jazz song, and they stopped in the centre, and Jack invaded what some would call personal space as he moved closer to her.

The surroundings around them felt to Sam a blur, as Jack's warm and gentle hands came to rest on either side of her waist and unknowingly ignited feelings inside her body that seemed unimaginable from such a simple touch. Maybe it was because he was no longer to be her CO, and she knew she wouldn't see him as much after this. Or maybe it was because he'd asked her to dance.

She gave a light touch to his hands to reassure him, encourage him—she didn't know—and then pressed them inwards so she could feel his contact more firmly on her body.

"Told you I couldn't dance," he said quietly and she breathed a small laugh, and slid her hands over his sleeves up to his upper arms as they began to sway gently to the music.

"You don't seem bad," she told him, reprovingly, trying to get them both to relax.

"Well, like I said," he murmured, "people are only good when their dance partner's good."

She snorted softly. "I'm hardly anything to shout about."

"Oh, I don't know, I meant it when I suggested you look amazing tonight."

She smiled in embarrassment and looked down. "Sir…" she muttered.

"No, for once I'm being serious," he said lightly.

"Well, thank you, but these compliments feel strange coming from you."

"Sam." He tugged her a little closer, so that the space between their bodies vanished and she was pressed up against him. She slipped her hands around his neck in response without even caring about people around them, watching. Their noses were inches away from each other and she hugged him tightly, as his eyes burned intensely into hers.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"Just because I wasn't allowed to say some things doesn't mean I didn't think them," he confessed softly.

She sighed and smiled sadly. "I know," she murmured. "Me too."

"Look, I, uh… I've never been good at this kind of stuff, but I think we need to…" He winced and suggested tentatively, "Talk… at some point… about things?"

"Okay," she agreed. "Sounds like a wise idea."

"Good," he smiled. "But for the moment, I'm content to just dance."

"Even though you don't 'do' dancing," she smirked gently, and he grinned.

"Right."

She noticed that his hands dropped a little lower, from her waist. Very lightly and tentatively, he stroked her hips in reassuring, circular motions with his thumbs through the thin material of her dress.

And she couldn't show him here in this room how uncontrolled she felt over her own feelings. They flooded through her chest and constricted her throat, descending from the base of her abdomen and warming her, to her very toes and fingertips, in tense, pleasurable tingles that caught her completely off guard as his touches seemed to sensitively ignite her skin and inside thirst for him.

They danced slowly, oblivious to everything happening around them. They'd never done this in their eight-year strict relationship. And yet it felt so naturally right.

Sam briefly closed her eyes and leaned against him to rest the side of her head on his shoulder. Her hand slipped down his back, holding him close, while he turned his face into her neck in a combination of surprise and affection. When he spoke, his breath tickled her skin.

"You okay?"

Her lips curled into a smile at his quiet tone, so mellow it conveyed a hundred caring emotions in the space of two words.

"Yeah," she replied softly, and brought her palm up to hold the back of his neck. "I am."

"I'm noticing that we're pretty close," he said lightly.

"We're never gonna hear the end of this from Daniel," she pointed out bitterly and he seemed to mistake her tone for regret.

"You wanna stop?" he asked quickly. Sam was pleased to detect the reluctance in his voice.

"No," she answered honestly. "I'm enjoying just… being casual around you for once."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Sir, there's something I need to know." She pulled back a little to look into his eyes and continued, "But I don't want to ruin… this."

Jack gazed back at her steadily. "Well, for starters Carter, you can quit calling me 'sir'. We're about… oh, no centimetres apart, dancing in public, and even though I'm a senior officer I'm no longer your CO." He smiled slightly and emphasised, "Call me Jack."

"Okay. Jack," she said, the name sounding strange and unfamiliar to her lips like a changed sweet. "But may I point out, sir, that you just called me Carter."

"D'oh!" He grinned and shook his head. "Sam," he tested out.

"This is so strange. Although, for the record, you've called me Sam more times than I've ever called you Jack. So it's gotta be harder for me."

"What is it you want to know?" he asked softly, seriously.

"The… feelings… you had for me…" She grimaced as his face crinkled up uncomfortably. "Look, sir, I know this is awkward but I can't let you walk away without this being cleared up…"

"I think you know," he said quietly. "But the answer's yes anyway. They're still there."

"Really?" She looked dubious.

"You had doubts?"

"Well... it's been so long..."

"Am I allowed to try you at your own question?" he asked then, looking nervous.

Sam smiled somewhat shyly, and then leaned forward to utter her most intimate confession. "My answer's yes, too," she whispered in his ear, holding him tight.

"Wow. That was... easy!" he remarked, surprised. "And it means the world to me, Sam. Really, it does."

"Me, too," she admitted, and chuckled slightly. "Although if it was that easy, we wouldn't have waited eight years to tell each other..."

"Well, it was a lot easier than doing it on the Za'tarc machine," Jack reminded her grimly. "Put it that way." For a few moments he stared into her light blue eyes. Then, with a dazzling, charming and handsome smile, he wrapped his arms entirely around her waist and crushed her to him. Oh boy, their bodies really were melded together now. "Now dance with me, Carter. I want to remember this moment forever."

With a laugh that was much more pleasing to Jack's ears than any music, she followed his quickening pace. She felt closer to him now in more ways than she ever had. A few people stared at them as they passed, and Sam was secretly beginning to see the truth behind his confession of being an awful dancer, but she didn't care. Being so near to him and at the same time so comfortable made her heart soar. They danced for another hour or so, and even when the music stopped and people began to leave the dance floor they were entwined together, arms entangled, before they realised they were a single couple in the vast space surrounded by crowds of guests.

They glanced at one another slightly sheepishly, and then Jack withdrew from their embrace and gingerly took her hand.

"How about we find somewhere private, Sam? Where we can talk?"

She smiled at him gracefully. "Sure, that would be great."

"C'mon, then." He pulled her away from the dance floor, looking around for somewhere to go—somewhere where they wouldn't be disturbed by politicians or colleagues offering their congratulations on his promotion. Well, that ruled off outside. The tables and chairs on the marble patio, dimly illuminated with garden lights, would probably be romantic but there'd definitely be no privacy. The only other place he could think of was the toilets, but that option was discarded straight away...

And then he saw a subtle black curtain swaying in the corner of the room, conveniently titled 'Exit'. Well, seeing as though there was nowhere else...

He scanned the people around them, checking for stewards, and then discreetly led the way through it. If it wasn't for the tiny crack of light creeping through beneath the velvet curtain, the narrow passageway would have been pitch-black. There was another door opposite, which he offhandedly assumed led to the outdoors, and aside from it, another tall, patterned stage curtain that lined the wall. Apart from that, zilch.

Suddenly Sam laughed and linked his arm, tugging gently on his dinner jacket. "I feel like a teenager again," she remarked, and the smile could be heard in her voice.

"Well," he observed dryly, "seeing as though I can hardly see you, this isn't exactly the best place for talking."

There was a sudden silence, in which they both held their breath.

"What I mean is," he stammered, "aah, we could just go out and find somewhere—"

And then something warm, fierce and very tingle-inciting captured his mouth in the darkness, moving over his bottom lip gently. If Jack had wanted to wake up, he would have pinched himself.

"—else," he finished a few moments later, standing dazed and mesmerised as he felt her lips move away again with a small sound that echoed dreamily in his pounding ears. Her fingers bit into his cheeks.

For a good few seconds he was too astounded to act, or to even register the fact that Carter had just kissed him. Crap. She'd kissed him! And then the reality hit him as powerful feelings of affection, desire and love overcame him all at once. He... wait a minute—love?

"Jack?" Her voice sounded quiet and nervous in the space between them. She was asking if that was okay. Well, if she wanted an answer, she'd damn well get an answer.

Grabbing her arms, he kissed her firmly. Fiercely, passionately. God only knew how he'd found her mouth in their secretive blackened corner! Instinct, perhaps. But thoughts were pushed from his mind in the heat of their ardent kisses.

They pulled back briefly to supply their starved lungs with air. And laughed in spite of themselves.

"I can tell we both played 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' when we were young," she breathed, caressing his cheek.

"Yeah, and I bet you definitely feel like a teenager now," he murmured before leaning in to explore her mouth a second time. All at once her arms were sliding around his neck and his hand was weaving into her hair. "Mmph."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the ballroom, Daniel and Teal'c were talking to General Hammond.

"Where is Jack, anyway?" asked Hammond, beaming at a joke Daniel had made about General O'Neill's upcoming speech. "I haven't seen him for a good few hours now."

"Last time I saw him, he was dancing with Sam," said Daniel, sipping his champagne.

"Colonel Carter?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, General Hammond. The two seem to have bonded extremely well tonight."

"I expect he's getting ready for his speech." At least, Daniel hoped.

Just then, the speech announcer spoke into the microphone up on the stage. "As you're undoubtedly aware, this night is for Brigadier General Jack O'Neill."

Daniel placed his glass down in preparation to clap. "Ah, here we go."

"General O'Neill, wherever you are, would you like to make your way onto the stage now?"

* * *

Mustering all the willpower in the world, Sam pulled back from the delightful mouth of her kisser. Jack made a loud noise of displeasure as her lips were wrenched from his.

"Wasn't your name just announced?" she asked, bemused. If Jack could see her, he would have known she was frowning slightly.

"Nah," he breathed, dipping his face to kiss her neck, "you're just imagining it."

And thanks to the blissful, thrilling sensations creeping up her body at Jack's passionate caresses, she wasn't about to argue.

* * *

"Uh," began Daniel in puzzlement, "yes, where is Jack?"

The announcer remained standing on the stage, microphone in hand, appearing flustered and self-conscious. People were beginning to look around the room curiously, conversing to one another in a confused hubbub, and Teal'c smiled slightly smugly.

"Perhaps O'Neill has gone to relieve himself."

Daniel frowned at Teal'c's suggestion. "Yeah, that's probably it."

* * *

Whether he knew it or not, Teal'c was right... only, worked into the concept were the words 'sexual tension' by means of kissing. And wow, Jack was definitely relieving that. As soon as he'd finished his assault on her neck, he crushed her mouth to hers again in another blistering, passionate kiss, thriving with desire. God, he'd wanted this for so, so long. They both had! She was clinging to him to stay upright and in a lack of sense Jack pushed her up against the frilly-curtained wall to pin her between it and his body.

Only, it wasn't a wall. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as they stumbled forwards, directly through the red curtain, onto a shiny surface beyond and an environment that was lighted much more brightly. Their eyes were closed, anyway, which saved them both a lot of blinking. Hastily, they scrambled for one another once again as soon as their feet found firm ground, making up for their strained contact.

And a tremendous, distracting roaring filled their ears.

Their kisses faded into the noisy atmosphere around them. Dreading what he'd see, Jack opened his eyes as Sam did the same. And they died on the spot.

* * *

At first, Daniel had been as shocked as everyone else. He'd simply stared, dumbfounded, at two of his best friends wrapped up in their passionate embrace in front of a formal audience of over two hundred people. They hadn't even noticed at first!

And after that, he couldn't help it. The composed archaeologist lost himself. His shocked expression had transformed into a combination of amusement, happiness and disbelief, so much that a wide smile lit up his face—a smile that had gradually split into a huge grin, and then in turn an enormous laugh. He'd cheered and raised his hands high above his head to clap.

General Hammond had looked at Daniel in horror to begin with... only, that's when Teal'c had joined in, and then before they knew it the entire room was applauding, whistling and shouting... which is when Sam and Jack noticed they were no longer cocooned in their private little shell.

As a huge, embarrassed smile spread across his face, the announcer slowly advanced towards the mortified couple and handed Jack the microphone with an amused, exaggerated wink. Jack accepted it, and Daniel howled with laughter at the marvellous crimson colour heating up the General's face. He laughed along with everyone else in the room. Even Teal'c, who rarely smiled, spouted a mammoth beam.

"Well," flustered Jack into the microphone, finally finding his voice as a smile began to tug the corners of his own mouth. "I now know the meaning of the work 'mortification'." He glanced sideways at Sam who had her red face hidden extremely well in her hand, and curled his fingers around her arm to pull her closer. Reluctantly, she lowered her arm.

"This'll be one to tell the grandchildren!" admitted Jack to the audience, instituting further laughs, claps and whistles. Sam, if it was possible, blushed an even deeper shade of red, and smiled at him bashfully, wishing the ground would just swallow her up so she could escape from this humiliating audience. She cringed as she noticed her deep pink lip gloss smudged across Jack's cheek but resisted the urge to wipe it away.

"Here, here!" cried a familiar voice, amused.

"Watch it, Dr. D. Jackson!" warned Jack, narrowing his eyes. He addressed the audience. "Sorry, folks, he's been waiting for this for eight years. And just to clarify, nothing we are doing is illegal here, as I have already been relieved of command. So, yes, General Hammond—this isn't fraternising!"

General Hammond merely raised his glass of wine to the stage, chuckling his congratulations.

Finally, Jack turned back to Sam, who was regarding him with a new sense of admiration at his quick recovery. For an incredibly long moment he appeared to contemplate one thought or another, and then smiled his dazzling smile, and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Suddenly he handed the microphone back to the announcer and stepped enticingly closer.

"So, Carter," he said quietly, his face leaning nearer--and nearer--and, very much _nearer_--to hers. He lowered his mouth. "Whadda you say we finish the show?"

Entranced by his intense, dark brown eyes, she ran her hands up his arms lightly.

And before they joined again in another explosive kiss of passion, she whispered, "I could comply with that order. Sir."

Their mouths met and danced together, and the fireworks went off.

* * *

Author's Note: lol… :) … Now that's what you call a cliché!


End file.
